TIPOFF VILLARAIGOSA, NEWSOM MAY BE HEADED FOR SHOWDOWN.

Byline: RICK ORLOV

The topic was global warming but the atmosphere was chilly last week when the two hottest politicians in California met at UCLA.

Aside from the bad puns, the signing of an agreement by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom to join with former President Clinton to reduce carbon emissions drew interest more because of the participants than the topic.

Political observers said the two mayors were noticeably standoffish with each other, adding fuel to ongoing speculation that they are headed for a showdown for governor in 2010.

Of course, in politics, four years is a lifetime and a lot can happen to change the dynamics of elections.

Both men also face a historical problem -- no mayor of Los Angeles or San Francisco ever has been elected governor. Former Mayor Tom Bradley came the closest, but he lost out to then-Attorney General George Deukmejian.

In fact, being a mayor is almost a drawback -- raising geographic rivalries and other issues that serve to undermine votes.

The only governor who ever came from a major city was former Gov. Pete Wilson, who had served as mayor in San Diego. But he won the governorship only after he also had become a U.S. senator.

There is a downside to being ``in.''

Just ask the 100 or so folks who were invited to the Getty Villa last week to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Despite the lush and elegant surroundings, it wore thin when the crowd -- told to arrive by 5:30 p.m at the latest -- was forced to stand around for more than 90 minutes because Blair was late and he and Villaraigosa met privately for about a half-hour.

No chairs were provided, for reasons never made clear. And security concerns meant guests couldn't leave the room even to rest at an adjacent outside amphitheater.

Even after Villaraigosa and Blair made their remarks, tight security meant guests couldn't leave immediately.

To hear City Council members tell it, voters need to give them an extra term in office because of ``Campaign Trail Nightmares.''

The highlight in an hourlong discussion of the issue last week came from Councilman Bill Rosendahl, a former cable television executive and host of a public affairs program.

Rosendahl lamented the lack of public respect for politics and politicians.

``When I was out campaigning door-to-door, people would slam the door in my face when I told them I was running for office,'' Rosendahl said.

Maybe, other members suggested, it wasn't because he was a politician.

``I've worked as a deputy for 27 years and now as a councilman,'' Councilman Tom LaBonge said. ``People always welcomed me in.''

Councilman Dennis Zine suggested Rosendahl was too sensitive.

``If they did that to me, I would just keep knocking on their door.''

Locked in a debate with the City Council over hiring standards even as he struggles to bring in more recruits, Police Chief William Bratton is asking those who know the job the best -- cops -- to help lure new officers.

In his monthly column in the Los Angeles Police Protective League's newspaper, Bratton asks officers to promote the department to friends, relatives and anyone else they think qualified.

With a goal of hiring 1,000 new officers over the next five years, Bratton said that means hiring 650 cops a year to expand the department and replace those who leave.

Bratton also used the column to again defend his proposal to take what he described as ``a practical and flexible'' approach in not immediately disqualifying candidates who may have experimented with minor drugs.

The issue has prompted an ongoing dispute between Bratton and councilmen Zine and Bernard Parks, who have assailed the policy, leading Bratton to say the two ``didn't know what the hell they were talking about.''

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com

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